Lettering-guide.



No. 645,850. Patented m. 20, 1900. w. J. HANNEGAN.

LETTERING GUIDE.

(Application filed Dec. 19, 1899.)

(No Model.)

IllllllllHllHl WITNESSES {$155M T0}? f ATTOH/VEXS p4: Nonms PETERS co. PHQ'ra-LWNQ. WASHINGTGN, n. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT Price.

WILLIAM J. HANNEGAN, OF VICTOR, COLORADO.

LETTERING-GUIDE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 645,850, dated March 20, 1900.

Application filed December 19, 1899. Serial No. 740,853. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LWILLIAM J. HANNEGAN, residing at Victor, in the county of Teller and State of Colorado, have invented a new and- Improved Lettering-Guide, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is in the nature of an im-.

proved device by the use of which lettering can be done without the necessity of drawing range upon lines having a horizontal base or upon curves.

This invention comprehends certain details of constructionsiand novel arrangement of parts hereinafter first described in detail and then specifically pointed out in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improvement. Fig. 2 is a plan view illustrating the two ruler-sections separated to form a guideway for the letter. Fig. 3 illustrates the manner in which the device is used for providing a curved lettering-guide. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the device on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 illustrates the several parts comprising my improved device in detail.

My improved device comprises two rulerplates 1 2, held in the same plane and at tached to each other, so as to make the device as of one complete body. To each end of and upon the upper surface of the ruler 1 is riveted a slotted plate 3, extendedover the ruler 2, approximately to the outer edge 2 thereof, that portion of the plates 3 extending over the ruler 2 having slots 3 ,with which clamp-screws 4 4, secured to the ruler 2, engage, the purpose of which will presently appear, the meeting edges 5 of the ruler 1 2 having correspondingly-spaced marks 5 5 which may be extended in lines'at right angles to the edges 5; but the said marks 5 5 are preferably inclined at an angle havingan inclination upon which letters are commonly pitched when placed in a position other than vertical.

Although it is preferred to incline the placing-marks 5, it is manifest the points of division of the two edges 5 will at all times be directly opposite each other when the rulers are separated, as hereinafter stated, and enable the user to readily obtain imaginary vertical lines when it is desired to place the letters in a vertical position, and to facilitate this operation the lower edge of the ruler 1 is provided with a scale 6, thedivisions of which are arranged vertically and in register with the corresponding points 5 5?. In practice the scale 6 is spaced off in inches, whereby the device is provided with the ordinary measuring edge.

The ruler 2 at the opposite ends has a series of correspondingly-spaced and registering lines 7, closely drawn and designated'by suitablecorrespondingnumbers. Theselines 7 are the spaces that provide for the proper division of the ruler-sections 1 2.

8 indicates a curved slot formed in the bottom ruler 1 and struck up on an are having its center upon a line drawn centrally of the device, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The opposite edges of the curved slot are also spaced by marks 9, separating the distance correspondingly with the marks upon the edges of the rulers 1 2.

From the foregoing description, takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought the advantages of my invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which it appertains.

In operation therulers are separated a distance equal that of the height the desired let- .terin g is to have, and the rulers 1 2 are then made fast to such adjusted position by tightening the screws 4 4, it being obvious that the size of the lettering can be readily governed by setting the plates 3 with their outer edges to register with the desired ones of the spacinglines 7. When it is desired to place the letters in a vertical line, the user can readily and accurately obtain such lines by gaging the opposite scale-points upon the edges 5 5 of the rulers 1 2 with his eye, and in case of very large letters he can, if desired, obtain atrue vertical line by means of a supplemental rule or an angle laid upon the opposing points on the edges 5. Furthermore, as the lines 5 on the edges 5 are equidistantly spaced and form a true scale, the letterer can properly space the letters without the necessity of using instruments for such purpose. Again,as the said spacing-lines 5 upon the edges 5 are disposed on an incline upon which letters are commonly pitched the user can obtain an accurate pitch of all the letters when it is desired that they be drawn on an incline.

By providing the lower ruler with a curved groove the user can thereby readily lay off the letters upon a curved base.

My device is of a very simple and economical construction. All the parts may be made of a light metal. It is of a compact form and can be readily carried in the pocket or with the kit of instruments such as is commonly used by letterers or draftsmen.

hen myimproved lettering-guide is intended for sign-writing purposes or for other large lettering, the same is provided with a guide-arm 12,pivotally connected to the headblock 11, held to slide lengthwise of the guide parallel with the marked edges 5. The block 11 is held to slide upon a guide-rod 10, made fast to the upper ruler member 2, and in practice said block 11 is provided with a set-screw, whereby it can be clamped to any of its adjusted positions. The arm 12, by being pivotally connected with the head-block, can be swung to any position desired. This arm, however, is onlyintended foruse upon largersized guides, such as are used by sign-writers orby shopkeepers to mark boxes.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A lettering-guide, comprising a pair of rulers held in the same plane, connections for adjustably joining the said pair of rulers whereby their contiguous edges can be separated, said connections including clamp devices for holding the rulers to their adjusted position, one of the ruler-sections having a segmental slot having spacing-marks upon its edges, all being arranged substantially as shown and for the purposes described.

2. A lettering-guide consisting of a pair of rulers held in the same plane, one of the said rulers having at each end a series of horizontally-disposed spacing-lines 7; a fixedly-held slotted member secured at each end of the other ruler, said slotted members projecting so their outer edges lie in a plane parallel with the spacing-lines 7, on the opposin g rulersections, and set screws fixedly connected with the opposing ruler-section engaging the aforesaid slotted members, as specified.

3. A lettering-guide; comprising a pair of rulers held in the same plane, and their contiguous edges having registering and spacing marks; a slotted guide secured to each end of one of the ruler-sections to project over the other section; the ruler carrying the slotted guides having a segmental slot having spacing-marks upon its edges; the other ruler-section having set-screws adapted to engage with the slotted plates, and having correspondingly-arranged spacing-lines 7, upon each end, substantially as shown and for the purposes described.

4. As a new article, a lettering-guide; consisting of two ruler-sections of like size held in the same plane; one of the sections having a scale on its outer edge, and a centrally-disposed segmental slot; a guide member projected at right angles over each end of the slotted ruler-section; said guide members being fixedly connected to the said ruler-sections, the contiguous edges of the two rulers having regular and registering spacingmarks; the non-slotted ruler-section having a seriesof horizontally-disposed spacing-lines '7, at each end; and a set-screw seen red to each end of said ruler-section, adapted to engage the slotted members secured to the opposing ruler-section,all being arranged substantially as shown and for the purposes described.

5. A device for the purpose described, comprising a body formed of two separable flat members held in the same plane, one of such members having a longitudinally-extended guide-rod upon its upper surface; means for fixedly holding the head-block to any of its adjusted positions upon the rod; ahead-block slidable upon the rod; and an arm connected at one end to the said block to move therewith, its outer end being projected over the contiguous edges of the two fiat members.

6. A device for the purposes described, comprising a pair of rulers held in the same plane; adjustable connections joining said rulers,

whereby the contiguous edges thereof can be separated to form an intervening letteringspace; a guide mounted lengthwise upon one ruler parallel with the lettering-space; the head-block 11, slidably mounted upon said rod; and the arm 12, pivotally connected to the head-block, all. being arranged substantially as shown and described.

WILLIAM J. HANNEGAN.

Witnesses:

CHARLES F. FANNING, THOS. P. HANNEGAN. 

